Make, Bake, Sew, Grow

{ Make }

I've been making the mantel a little more festive with the addition of some battery powered fairy lights.

How did I not know about these? They're brilliant! No wires trailing everywhere...I hid the battery in the yellow tea pot.

I'm pretty bored with the mantel arrangement to be honest. I'm looking forward to festooning this slab of oak with every single Christmas decoration we own in a couple of weeks. 

In the mean time, this rather beautiful bare branched tree is lovely. I found it hidden away a few weeks ago in a drawer. I might hang some mini baubles on it if I can find some.

I have made two rather fabulous additions to my bowl and cookery book collection, neither of which are small and both of which always need to be added to. We spent this weekend with my (oldest and best) friend Abigail and she gave me this incredibly lovely Ken Eardley bowl and a new cookery book Life is Sweet as late housewarming gifts. 

I haven't cooked from it yet but I have two other Hummingbird Bakery books and they're very good and well used, so I'm keen to try something from this. The recipes for Oatmeal Spice Cake, Lemon Chiffon Pie and Cornmeal Cookies all need my urgent attention.

{ Bake }

In preparation for this Deep-South themed baking onslaught I have purchased tinned pumpkin and molasses. I'd thought molasses was like treacle and was surprised to find it's just like darker, stickier demerara sugar. I didn't know where I'd get these two items either, as they're not exactly widely used in the UK, but I should've known: Waitrose.

The novelty of having a branch a ten minute walk away hasn't worn off yet. I have an urge to make Pumpkin Pancakes, just to see what they're like. 

My other new obsession is Chai Latte hot drinks. I love this stuff. (On a side note - the December issue of The Simple Things is a bit good! It's the first issue I've bought in about a year and I'm enjoying it.)

Sugary drinks and baking aside, this Chickpea and Preserved Lemon Stew from A Modern Way to Eat was outstanding. Definitely one to make again -  quick, easy and cheap too, using store cupboard ingredients. Apart from the preserved lemons that is. Again, thank you Waitrose.

{ Sew }

It's all about the crochet lately. I don't know why, but I'm enjoying it and I like the results so who cares. I'm steadily increasing the border on my blanket and it's a little repetitive, but a nice project for those evenings when I just want mindless crochet.

I'm also making Bella and Angus a toy each from this book. This is my first attempt at amigurumi-style crochet and so far so good, although the constant counting does get a bit boring sometimes. This headless creation will soon be a polar bear for Bella 

{ Grow }

The only times I've been in the garden lately are to put something in the bin or chuck ash on the compost heap. There's nothing going on out there. But we do have a holly tree and a lot of fir trees, so in a couple of weeks I plan to drag some of that inside and attempt to do something creative with it all. 

There ends my round up of what's going on. Life is hectic. People keep asking me if I'm "ready for Christmas". I'm not, and the amount of stuff on the calendar over the next three weeks isn't helping with that, but that's the way it is at this time of year and I wouldn't really have it any other way. 

{ Make } Something for the home.

{ Bake } Something from the kitchen.

{ Sew } Something crafty.

{ Grow } Something in the garden.